Simulating bowling pin actuating mechanism



June 27, 1961 W. W. STUNKEL SIMULATING BOWLING PIN ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed July 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O 2 33 32 L 12 I 4 29 ll I a I 2 41 43 111T. &Q

INVENTOR. M EKIVEK W Irma 4 BY United States Patent 9 2,990,175 SIMULATING BOWLING PIN ACTUATING CHANISM This invention relates to a novel construction for supporting and for moving a simulated bowling pinfrom a target position to a hit position.

The target position of the bowling pin is that position where it is exposed to the player, and the hit position is that position which it assumes upon the scoring of a hit by a player.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the character herein described which is of a simple structure, functioning to support and move a bowling pin from target to bit position and vice versa.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the acompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a part sectional elevational view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

' FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the bowling pin moved to hit position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 55 of FIG. 2.

The several objects of this invention are accomplished by the preferred form of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which the mounting plate is indicated 10. Secured to the underside of the mounting plate is a U-shaped bracket 11 providing opposite spaced apart parallel side plates 12. In each of the plates 12 is formed in a horizontal direction an arcuate slot 13. Extending transversely between the plates 12, with its end portions project-ion through the slots 13, is a pin 14 carrying retaining washers 15 which prevent displacement of the pin 14 from the slots 13. The pin 14 is carried by an arm 16 at its upper end portion. The arm 16 is substantially U-shaped in cross section and has its upper end portion 17 disposed between the plates 12. The end portion 17 of the arm 16 is spaced between the plates 12 by nylon spacers 18 (FIG. 2).

The lower end portion of the arm 16 is pivotally connected as at 19 to a bracket plate 20 secured to a simulated bowling pin 21 in any suitable manner. The plate 20 has an extension bent substantially at right angles as at 22 to engage the arm 16 and limit the pivotal action of the pin 21 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1, under the action of a spring 23 connected to the arm 16 and bracket plate 20 as at 24. This arrangement allows an initial movement of the pin 21 under the impact of the ball or puck (not shown) before the pin 21 is elevated to a hit position as shown in FIG. 4.

Pivotally connected as at 25 to the arm 16 adjacent its lower end and adjacent the pivotal connection 19 is a moving arm 26 comprising plates 27 spaced from each other by spacing pin 28. The upper end portion of the arm 26 extends at an angle with respect to the long axis of such arm and is pivotally connected as at 29 to spaced lugs 30 provided by a plate 31 secured to the mounting plate 10. The angled end portion 32 of the arm 26 pro vides a latch head 33 which is adapted for latched engagement with a latch plate 34 of an electromagnetic coil 35. The angled end portion 32 carries a pin 36 which actuatcs a switch 37 controlling certain circuits (not shown) of the simulated bowling game. The latch plate is biased into latched position by a spring 38.

A resetting lever is indicated at 39 and is supported by the pivot 29 for the arm 26. This lever 39 is connected to the angled end portion 32 of arm 26 by a coil spring 40'. This lever is adapted to be moved so as to bear against a transverse pin 40 when pivoted by a resetting lever (not shown) in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 whereby to pivot the arm 26 in a corresponding anticlockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 4 to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. The arm 26 is connected to the plate 31 as at 42 by a coil spring 41. This spring 41 is in turn connected to the arm 26 at the point 43. In this position the arm 26 is latched and the springs 40' and 41 are tensioned in opposite directions with respect to each other and by reason thereof and because they are connected to the arm 26 at ofiset points with respect to the pivot point 29 they will cooperate to pivot the arm 26 in a manner hereinafter described.

The arrangement is such that when the simulated bowling pin 21 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, it will be extending in a vertical position and releasably latched in such position by the latch plate 34 which engages the latch head 32 and prevents the pivotal movement of the arm 26 under the action of the springs 40' and 41. When the electromagnetic coil 35 is energized, the latch plate 34 will be withdrawn from engagement with the latch head 33, with the result that the arm 26 may pivot in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 under the action of the springs 40' and 41. Pivotal movement of the arm 26 in such direction causes the pin 14 to ride through the are 13, during which time the arm 16 and the moving arm 26 will pivot in opposite directions with respect to each other about the pivot 25 until such arms reach the position shown in FIG. 4, at which time the pin 21 will by virtue of this pivotal movement of the arms 16 and 26 be disposed in a hit position such as shown in FIG. 4.

To reset the bowling pin to target position such as shown in FIG. 1, pivotal movement by suitable mechanism (not shown) is exerted on the reset lever 39. The lever 39 will bear upon the pin 40 and pivot the moving arm 26 against the action of the spring in an anticlockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. This pivotal movement of the moving arm 26 will cause the upper end portion of the arm 16 to ride in a reverse direction through the arcuate slots 13 to a position where the pin 21 will be disposed in target position and be held in such position by reason of engagement with the latch plate 34 of the latch head 33. When the reset lever 39 is returned to its normal position as seen in FIGS. 1 and 5, the spring 40 will be placed under opposite tension with respect to the spring 41.

It will be noted that in the movement of the arm 16 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to that shown in FIG. 4, the arm 16 is disposed substantially parallel and in spaced relation to the upper long portion of the pin. In other words. during the movement of the end portion 17 of the arm 16 from one end of the arcuate slots 13 to the opposite end, the arm 16 remains in constant parallel relation with respect to the bowling pin 21. If desirable, the arm 16 may be made a rigid part of the pin 21 without departing from the spirit or purpose of this invention.

The foregoing construction results in a mechanism which rapidly, effectively and with a maximum silence, moves the simulated bowling pin from a bit position to a target position and vice versa.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into efiect, this is capable of variation and modification without def parting from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore,.do not wish to be limited to the precise details ofconstruction set forth, but desire to availrnyself of such variations and. modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim. as-

new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:.

1. A simulated bowling pin support and guide mechanism including a mounting plate. having means for pivotally moving the bowling pin from. a vertical position to a horizontal position with respect thereto; a simulated bowling pin, and a latch means for releasably restraining the pivotal movement of the bowling pin; the i-mprove-- ment which comprises a bracket member secured to the. mounting plate and providing opposite parallellyextending spaced apart side walls each having a corresponding arcuated guide slot formed therein ex-tending transversely with respect to the longitudinal length ofthe. bowlingpin when it is in its vertical position, a movable support and guide means for the bowling pin,.means connecting; the bowling pin to one end of said support andguide means, said support and guide means having its'other. end'positioned'between said side walls ofsaid bracket and movably connected thereto by a pin extendinginto said arcuate slots, a moving arm pivotally connected to said support and guide means and operatively connected to the latch means and adapted to move said' other. end of said sup-- port and guide means through said guide slots so asrto. dis-- pose said support and guide means between said side-walls and to guide one end of the bowling pin. through an arcuate path as it is caused tobemoved from .its' vertical position to a horiozntal position where it will .overlie said side walls and extend in a plane parallel to the long axis of said bracket.

2. A simulated bowling pin support and guide mechanism including a mounting plate having means for pivotally moving the bowling pin from a vertical position to a horizontal position with respect thereto, a simulated bowling pin, and a latchmeans for releasably restraining the pivotal movement of the bowling pin; the improve nected thereto by a pin extending into said arcuate slots,. a moving arm pivotally connected to said supportand' guide arm andoperatively connected tothe latchmeans and adapted to. move said other. end ofsaid' support and guide arm through said guide slots so as .to.dispose said support and guide arrn between said side. walls and to guide one end of the bowling pinthrough an arcuate path asit isncausedto. be. moved from its vertical position. to a horizontal position where it will overlie said side walls. and extend in a plane parallel to the long; axis of said' bracket.

References Cited in the-fileof thisipatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Cohn .J-an. 1,.1957' 2,800,650 Breitenstein July 23,195.? 2,829,893

Koci Apr.r8,.1958 

